Houston Astros - TeamReport

June 18, 2012|Reuters

MLB Team Report - Houston Astros - INSIDE PITCH

The Astros placed Bud Norris on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday, ending a frustrating two-week stretch of trying to pitch through injuries against his better long-term good. Norris had been battling hip flexor soreness dating back three starts, and in his last start, he sprained his left knee, which he believes was related to the earlier condition.

"I've been trying to go out there and pitch at 80 percent and unfortunately I haven't been helping the team much," Norris said. "It's frustrating in that regard. I want to be out there every fifth day."

But a bullpen session earlier in this week revealed Norris to be still a bit tentative in finishing his pitches. So instead, the Astros called up Dallas Keuchel to make his major league debut in a Sunday start. It is unclear how long Keuchel will go in the rotation, but Norris hopes to miss just two starts. His DL stint is retroactive to June 12.

"I'm hoping one 15-day DL with retro is only two (starts), that it's going to be OK and I can get out there and really help this team have a better second half," Norris said.

They had some admirable fill-in work Sunday in a 9-3 loss to the Rangers that got out of control once Keuchel left. When the lefty was in the game, he held the Texas lineup to one run over five innings of work.

"I wasn't really nervous; I think I was just ready for it," Keuchel said. "After that first strike call to (Ian) Kinsler, I settled down right then. I had to battle through some stuff, but overall I think it went pretty well."

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MLB Team Report - Houston Astros - NOTES, QUOTES

--1B Carlos Lee returned from the 15-day disabled list on the first allowed day Sunday and was in the lineup as the designated hitter against the Rangers. Lee went 5-for-10 on a three-game rehab assignment for Double-A Corpus Christi and went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in his return.

--LHP Dallas Keuchel said his stuff was feeling better in his major league debut Sunday than it ever did in the minor leagues as he allowed one run in five innings to the Rangers. "I felt comfortable with every pitch, which I haven't really felt that way this year," said Keuchel, who uses a four-pitch arsenal. "It's a good sign of improvement."

--1B Brett Wallace was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to allow for the return of 1B Carlos Lee, a tough break for Wallace after hitting .333 with two home runs in 11 games. "I told him that there was a lot of good things that happened when he came up here this time," manager Brad Mills said after giving Wallace the news. "He showed a lot of people that he made a lot of progress and I wanted him to go down there and continue that progress."

--LHP Sergio Escalona was transfered to the 60-day disabled list in order to add LHP Dallas Keuchel to the 40-man roster. Escalona is out for the season after Tommy John surgery, so this was merely procedural.

--C Jason Castro summed up pretty well a six-day stretch in which the Astros have scored 2.8 runs per game including a perfect game thrown against them. "It's nice to be going home right now," Castro said. "You have to have a short memory and you can't dwell on what's happened in the last week."

BY THE NUMBERS: 167 -- Strikeouts for the Astros through their first 15 games of June, which is an average of 11.1 per game.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "It was a surreal feeling. I kind of knew something was up, and it was a nice wake-up call." -- LHP Dallas Keuchel, who was told he was going to the major leagues for the first time with a 7:30 a.m. knock on his door from Triple-A manager Tony DeFrancesco.

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MLB Team Report - Houston Astros - ROSTER REPORT

MEDICAL WATCH:

--RHP Wilton Lopez (sprained right elbow) was placed on the disabled list June 15, retroactive to June 11. The Astros hope he can recover with rest.

--RHP Bud Norris (sprained left knee) injured his left knee during his June 12 start and was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to that day on June 17. He is expected to miss two starts.

--OF Fernando Martinez (post-concussion syndrome) went on the seven-day disabled list June 9. He is scheduled to undergo further testing during the week of June 18.

--INF Marwin Gonzalez (bruised right heel) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 7.

--OF Travis Buck (right Achilles tendinitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 29.

--1B Carlos Lee (strained left hamstring) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 2. He began a three-day rehab assignment with Class AA Corpus Christi on June 14, and he rejoined the Astros on June 17.

--LHP Fernando Abad (strained right intercostal muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 26. He played catch June 1, and he started a rehab assignment with Class AAA Oklahoma City on June 10. He was activated June 15.

--RHP Kyle Weiland (right shoulder bursitis) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 25. He underwent surgery May 1 to clear an infection in his shoulder. He began rehabbing May 9, doing mostly range-of-motion and strength exercises, and he hopes to begin throwing by mid-June.

--LHP Sergio Escalona (Tommy John surgery in April 2012) went on the 15-day disabled list April 4 and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on June 17. He will miss the entire season.